CHRST’S EVANGELISTIC STRATEGY LK 8:1-4 “CITY TO VILLAGE”

CHRST’S EVANGELISTIC STRATEGY LK 8:1-4 “CITY TO VILLAGE” His objective was clear and he planned to win. He never lost sight of his goal. He lived, died, and rose according to schedule (Lk 2, 49, 4) A. SELECTION LK 6:13 (MEN WERE HIS METHOD) • His concern was not program to reach multitudes but men whom the multitude will follow • There was no haste in his selection but just determination (Mk 3:16, 2:13-14, Mt 9:9, Lk 5:27-28) • Those he selected according to human standard are unlearned and ignorant but teachable – Acts 4:13 • Concentrated on the few without neglecting the masses (Jn 3:26, 12:19, 11:47-48 B. ASSOCIATION (MT 28:20) He simply mentored through spiritual apprenticeship. The principles of fellowship enacted, C. CONSECRATION (MT 11:29) D. IMPARTATION (JN 20:22) Jn 15:15, 17:4, Lk 12:32, Mt 16:19 E. DEMONSTRATION (JN 13:15) F. DELEGATION (MT 4:19) Jn 4:2, Mk 1:17, Mt 3:14-19, Lk 6:13-16, Mk 6:7, Mt 10:11, Lk 10:1 G. SUPERVISION (MK 8:17) Mk 6:3-6, Lk 9:10, Lk 10:18 H. REPRODUCTION (JN 15:16) His method was: • Incarnational • Transformational • Relational • Motivational

WONDROUS PRAISE (PS 105:1-5)

WONDROUS PRAISE (PS 105:1-5) Praise is comely and whosoever offer praises glorifies God (PS 50:23). God dwells in the praises of His people (Psalm 22:23). As we gather together for the purpose of praising God we are indeed doing what we are created for (Isa 43:21) This year’s choir anniversary theme is WONDROUS PRAISE and the text is taken from PS 105. The psalm is a didactic recount of Jewish history; the divine moves that culminated in the establishment of the nation. The background to the formation of this special psalm is better captured in 1 Chron 16:9, it was composed by David on the day the Ark of the Lord was restored to Jerusalem . It was a huge convocation of wondrous praise. The setting was wonderful with full choir and great strategic arrangement of instrumentalists. David led in praises as he sang about the great and wondrous deeds of the Lord. As we repeat wondrous praises we are reminded that:  We must constantly have the heart of gratitude and learn to give thanks to the Lord  Every soul, everyone must be called to praise and worship God.  In praises we must express our testimonies to others.  We must understand the two directional ministries of praise the prophetic and the priestly directions- unto God and unto His people as we recount His deeds among men.  In praises we discover and deploy the power of His name.  Prayer is never mechanical artificial or carnal; it must be from the heart.  Praises must draw people to God, true wondrous praise will draw you closer to God.  In praises, specific deeds of God are recounted and God is given all the glory for them. As we celebrate in God’s presence today, may His wondrous deeds continue in our lives and in our midst.

SEPTEMBER 2020, MY MONTH OF DIVINE DEFFENCE (11 KG 6: 8-20)

SEPTEMBER 2020, MY MONTH OF DIVINE DEFFENCE (11 KG 6: 8-20) (Written by Revd Dele Kolade, First Baptist Church Iju Lagos) The scripture is full of testimonies of God’s ability to defend His people. He is our defense ( Ps. 5:11, 31:1-3, Isa. 31:5, 37: 35, Zec. 9:15, 12: 8), our hiding place (Isa. 32:2, Ps.17:8, 27: 5, 32: 7, 64:2, 119: 114), our fortress (Na 1:7, 2 Sam. 22:2, Ps. 18: 2, 91: 2, 114: 2) , our refuge (Ex. 33:22, Deut. 33: 27, Ps. 27: 5, 31: 20, Prov. 14: 26, Isa. 25: 4, Zec. 9: 12) and our shield (Gen. 15:1, Deut. 33: 29, Ps. 33:20, 84: 11, 115: 9, Prov. 30:5). You are better secured in Christ for he has an insurance policy for you that can never fail. In the days of Elisha the prophet, God repeatedly demonstrated that He could safely secure His people. In the midst of great tension, God gave attention to His loved ones. Elisha was a watchman over Israel, guiding and instructing the land with divine counsel. The enemies of Israel could not penetrate the defense of the land because the Lord was watching over the words of His servant to perform them. In the text of our exposition, certain truth must be clearly understood and these must inform our strategic prayers this month. SYRIAN WARRED AGAINST ISREAL (VS 8) It was specifically started that the Syrian king warred against Israel. It was a battle between kingdoms. As a child of God, you must recognize the fact that you have a battle to fight and a land to posses. There is no one without battle, and the war is between kingdoms. If you have a clearly defined position, then you must be prepared for opposition. You need to define your opposition in as well as you understand your position. Your warfare prayers must clearly target your own “Syrian Army”. HE TOOK COUNSEL WITH HIS SERVANTS (VS. 8) Syrian king took counsel with his servants to determine where their trap camp will be. We are fighting against an elaborate and well organized network of evil. The devil is attacking with his cohort and there are evil deliberations to short circuit you and mortgage your destiny. Thank God, there is an irrevocable divine decree concerning you that the counsel of darkness over you and over your portion will never stand. In prayers, you must seek out where the enemy’s camp really is in your life. Enemies must not settle down in your territory. You must declare a “no place for the devil” war. No waiting, no parking for the devil for your life is a no go area to him. The Syrian’s plot was exposed to the king of Israel through the prophetic Ministry of Elisha (Vs 9). You need not wait until the enemy strike before you declare war, you must be proactive. Heaven is ready to warn you against the intension of the devil if only you will open your eyes to see and your ears to hear. There is always a divine beckoning on you not to fall prey to the trap of the enemy. You need the prophetic anointing and counsel. You must pattern your warfare campaign to allow for investigatory prayers. Your prayers should not only be God do, God give focused but God show me the way I should pass. The eyes of the Lord will follow you everywhere you go and will expose your enemies to you. Greater portion of your problem is that you are not aware of where the enemies are striking from. Your prayers are against wrong targets. From today, the Lord will give you clear revelation of the detail of your situation and specific steps you are to take to prevent and arrest your problems. Because the Lord thwarted the evil counsel of the Syrian King, he became sore trouble (vs.11). Trouble, heart break, confusion, disgrace, failure and disappointments are not meant for you, they belong to the enemies of your soul. If you will let God fight for you, devil’s pressure will go high. SPIES were dispatched to fish out Elisha (Vs. 13) because he has now become the only threat to the evil ambition of the Syrian King. If you have a position in Christ, then you must understand that evil eyes are after you, searching to locate your secret, identify your weak point and season, so that they could strike you down. You must prophesy against every evil eye and demonic spy detailed against you and your destiny to fall and die! They will search for you but they cannot get you because your defense is Jehovah. When the Syrian discovered Elisha to be at Dothan, they sent emissaries of army well equipped against him. They came by NIGHT and COMPASSED the city about (Vs.14). You must pay special attention to the timing of their coming; in the night. Jesus told a parable of a rich man who planted a vineyard of good vine but in the night, his enemies came and sowed weeds. The devils will always want to strike at the dark hours of the night when you will least expect. Thank God that we have a defender who does not sleep nor slumber; Jehovah is His name. The Syrian came in the night and compassed the city about, thinking they have trapped the man of God inside. That you are besieged does not mean you are deceased. The power that has surrounded you will surrender to you in Jesus Name. The servant of the prophet, waking up early in the morning and seeing the huge presence of the Syrian around the city cried out in desperation and frustration (Vs. 15) HOW SHALL WE DO? What you need to know is that you cannot figure out and think through the solution to the difficulties you are currently facing. The arm of flesh can in no way help. What to do and how to do what to do is none of your business, for God is already in charge. Many of us fail to overcome devil because we don’t see God in our negative situations. There is a thing God is already working out; you only need to see it. Do not blow your problem beyond proportion that you do not see God any longer. The encompassing enemies are numerous but God is more present than the negative things you are seeing. Elisha prayed that his servant should see beyond the natural scene and situation (Vs.17). You too need more than just the natural sight, you need a new vision. Many have sight but no vision, the scale of ignorance is coming off your eyes for you to clearly see what the Lord is doing even in that seemingly negative situation. You need a touch that will take you beyond yourself. What the servant of the prophet was seeing was the many chariots of human army but when his spiritual eyes opened, he saw more than the chariots of men, he saw chariots of fire driven by angels. The chariots of fire, for your information were not there just because of the Syrian, they have always being there ever before this time. There is a divinely guaranteed security provision for you even when there seems to be no problem in sight. When the Syrian army eventually came to the prophet, they were already BLINDFOLDED that they could not even recognize him any longer (Vs.18). I decree that you will become invisible to every evil eye trying to harm you. God will attack your enemies with blindness that you may precede into your place of honor and blessings. When the Syrian came down to the prophet, he was fully in charge. He told them, that is not the way. The anointing on you will cause your enemies to take orders from you. The man the Syrian came purposely to arrest now became the enforcement officer, for he eventually arrested them since he had the higher warrant paper. I see you no more as complainer but rather as the commander in-chief who is fully on top of every situation. None of your words will fall to the ground in Jesus name, all of your enemy and your situation shall take order from you from today. There is the anointing coming upon you that will make you to be feared dreaded. NAVIGATING PRAYERS 1) Lord, expose every hidden battle of my life to me. 2) Open my spiritual eyes and ears to see, hear and fully be aware of the detail of my situation and condition. 3) I foil and completely destroy every evil counsel and conspiracy against my soul and destiny. 4) I command devil and his cohort, no parking, no waiting in and around my portion in Jesus name. 5) Me, my family, and my properties are a no go area for the devil. 6) I receive grace to disgrace all of my enemies in Jesus name. 7) I decree that from today, my enemies will continue to make mistake that will advance my cause in Jesus name. 8) Every evil spy dispatched against my life should fall and die in Jesus name. Every demonic monitoring installation, and instrument flagged to monitor my life should be burnt in Jesus name. Every arrow fired against me day or night should backfire in Jesus name. I decree every siege over my life over in Jesus name. I defeat fear and frustrate the storm of panic in my life in Jesus name. Lord help me to see beyond my fear and trouble, to see you in my entire situation. Surround me with your chariot of fire and angelic troop. Let your anointing powerfully come upon me to make me be in charge. 9) I command confusion to overtake all my enemies in Jesus name. I command my enemies disarmed and completely rendered incapacitated. 10) Frustrate the counsel of the devil over my life. 11) All my enemy, fall and die in Jesus name!